Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-07-15
RED SlllRrlN RATTLE.
He Spins Some Indian Yarns to the London Re
81. James BIdget

Yes" continued Red Shirt, Il will tell
you of Il great fight of the Sioux Nation
with the Pawnees, who were always bad
Iadians. They had mot our people on
the hunt and killed them; they had at.
tackled our villages and their young
braves came like serpeuts in the grass
and stole our horses. The Sioux Nation
offered to make a treaty of peace with
the Pawnees, but the bad Indians refused,
and the Grand Council of the Sioux Ma.
tion sat down to discuss how we should
punish these bad people, and every chief
there spoke for going on the warpath.
Then we made ready to fight. II is iif-
teen years ago, and | was a young chief
then; but my father, who was great
chief, IVES on the warpath and | was
eager to prove myself great warrior in
his eyes. | collected my young men and
we set out, altogether thirteen hundred
strong under sixteen big chiefs. The
most experienced warriors were sent on
two days march in advance to scout and
scouts were thrown out on every side TO
guard against surprise. For eight days
our braves marched against the enemy,
and then some spies came back and told
us they had found the Pawnee village.
Many of the Pawnee braves were on
were at the village. We gathered round
the camp without being discovered, and
the big chiefs told the men how the bat
tie was to be fought.
Not till the signal Was given for at
tack did the Pawnees find out their en-
emies were near. Some the Pawnees were
towards, and ran before we got into tn 6
village, but the ma jorty stayed to fight
for their wigwams and to die for them.
They were surprised and in one great
dash we cleared d their lodges and wigwams.
| was armed with long spear. Nearly
all our braves had spears and bows and
arrows, but many had guns too. | ran to
a young chief who stood to guard his
lodge. He was n brave and good warrior,
but he fell before my spear, and hls scalp
adorned my belt. Near by four Pawnee
braves stood in a bunch and made great
fight against the attacks of some of our
young men. ] Joined them, and with my
long spear | killed each one of those four
braves, and the scalps / added to the one
already on my belt. Then the fight was
almost done. The Pawnee5 left alive
tried to get to their fast horses but cur
young mon were to quick for them. 1t
was a running fight, and they were scalped
almost as they ran. ] met three women
running for the horses. Two were armed
with knives and one with club but ]
killed all three. | did not take the hal-.
A brave boasts not of killing women, and
d women's scalp adorns not chiefslo lodge.
There was no hesitation about killing
their women and children. They had
killed ours, and revenge is sweet to the
red man. All. however, were not killed,
for we took thirty-six squaws prisoners
and carried them back to tho Sioux camp,
where we were hailed with shouts of VIC
tory, for we brought back with us over
five hundred scalps TO show that these
bad Indians had been punished. Besides,
we had all their horses and stores and
trophies to make glad the hearts of our
squaws.
.'That fight took place in the southern
country of Big Beaver; but the white
man holds that land now, and TIE Indian
he's gone nearer the setting sun. Another
graud council was held on our return,
wh IA we agreed to send the thirty Elk
prisoners back to their tribe-for we felt
some vity for them then-mounted On
our horses and loaded with presents; and
the message we sent with them was that
we had tried TO make a treaty with them;
they would not listen 10 our words, and
| they continued to attack our people and
! steal our horses. Now, we had killed all
We could find, except the women, and
| these we sent back to tell hoE we punish
| bad Indians who interfere With the SIOUX
| Nation"